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Holiday season is upon us! I have always loved this time and it brings me great joy and peace. Although this time of year can be exciting and joyful is also can feel a bit overwhelming and slightly chaotic. I have learned over the years to not let the stress overshadow my excitement. I have come to understand five important ways to combat the stresses of the holiday season. These five ways will help you survive the stress and have you sipping your favorite warm beverage under your favorite blanket without a worry in the world.

Balance

First off let’s start with balance. This is important because you need to keep on top of your responsibilities and be able to enjoy this wonderful time of year. You need a balance between spending time with friends and family and spending time with yourself in moments of self-care. You do not need to say yes to every invitation you receive to go out. It's ok to say no if you are not feeling it. You need to have balance between being on the go and getting stuff done at home. Set up small increments of time so you can tend to your responsibilities such as cleaning the house, household shopping, running errands and paying bills. This will help in the long run so you are not trying to get too much done at the last minute. This way you can enjoy the time you do have to spend with others instead of being stressed out.

Hydration and Nutrition

Drinking plenty of water and eating healthy is extra important during the holidays. It can be challenging to turn down warm drink concoctions and deliously rich food. I have been guided to increase my water intake. I think for all of us this is important. Its important to stay hydrated not only to hydrate the body but it also helps you consume less sugar and calories. Water not only helps aid in digestion but also hydration and helps energize us. This is important with the changing of the season, the richer food we may choose to eat and our hectic schedules. Also, eating healthier food will help keep your energy up. Rich foods will bog you down and make you feel sluggish. I’m not say not to indulge but just keep it minimal, know when to put your fork down and only have one serving.

Planning

Having a routine and planning are also two important areas. It is important to create a simple routine for yourself. Paying your bills on a certain day and running errands on a certain day can be easy steps to set up a routine. Also, plan for what days you many want to do your holiday shopping or even just your grocery shopping. Leaving time on certain days during the week to catch up with friends and family is beneficial. This will help you from rushing around trying to fit everything in at the last minute. I know a routine is not always ideal for some people but at least planning will prove to be very helpful in the long run.

Quiet Time

This one is such a huge one. It is very important for you to spend some time alone in quiet. Even if it is in small increments throughout your day. Something that I have done in the past is while at work I would take my lunch break out in my car. This helped me to get away from the energy of the workplace and to have some silence. This helped recharge me and made the rest of the workday not so bad. If you are going home to a house full take a few extra minutes in your car before you go inside. There are so many ways that you can get some quiet time for yourself. I have a great blog post that discusses this subject. Here is the link: Take Time For Yourself Post

My personal favorite thing that l do each day is I wake up early, make a cup of coffee and just sit. Being still before the rest of the world wakes up. I take this time to mediate, visualize and set my intentions for the day. This is my favorite time of the day and I can feel can feel the difference if I skip a day.

Sleep

I would like to end this post with how most of us should end our day. The topic of sleep. Sleep is so important. It helps us function mentally, physically and emotionally. Not getting enough sleep causes us to become run down, irritable, anxious, mentally exhausted and our immune system does not perform at its best. If you have a hard time getting a full night’s sleep give yourself permission to take a nap during the day. I used to think that naps were a waste of time and a sign of weakness. Now I embrace taking a nap if needed. The benefits of a nap are great. You can accomplish more after a nap because you are not so tired and you’re able to think clearer. Just simply take a nap when needed.

These are some simply tips to help you move through this holiday season with ease. If you are looking for more support to help you move through this season I offer email coaching just check out my Email Coaching page. If you have any questions about my coaching services, please feel free to Contact me.

I don’t know if you have felt it but lately the world seems a little overwhelming, sad and harsh. With things going on in the media, personal lives and the season's changing fast (basically skipped Fall in my corner of the world) the world seems like a gloomy place to be.

In the northern hemisphere we are heading into winter and this can get us feeling a little overwhelmed. We may still be focusing on the things that we wanted to accomplish over the past summer and earlier fall but were unable to. As creatures of accomplishment this can leave us with a feeling of failure, feelings that things are always out of our control, that we never have enough time or that we are less than those who seemed to get everything done.

We do not have to let ourselves feel like this. It is all based on perception. Simply changing our focus to what we can do instead of what we couldn't will have us feeling lighter and brighter in no time.

Now I want you to make a list of all of the things you did not accomplish over the past summer and ripe it up. Time to release those things and those feelings. It is time to focus on the here and now. Think about the things you want to do this upcoming holiday season. Pencil them into your calendar. Make plans ahead of time with people, go buy that book or plan that activity. Living within each season will bring you more joy and ease. There is no point in hanging on to the things you wish you should have done. If these things are really that important for you, they will pop up in the Spring when you start to plan your Summer. You do not need to practice this with just the seasons this can also be down monthly, weekly and even daily.

I encourage you to really take the time and do this exercise. It only needs to take 5 or 10 minutes. It will feel like such a relief to tear up the things that we no longer need to linger our focus on. Let me know how it goes in the comments below.

Have you ever had a day, week, month or year (hopefully not a year) when you feel like no one is listening to you?

Do you feel like you could scream from the top of your lungs and no one would hear you? Well if the answer is yes…well I hear ya!

I recently went through a week where I felt that I was not being heard. I was feeling a little stressed and I tried talking about it with different people in my life. No one was listening to me. I was cut off in conversation, talked over, and my story or feelings were discarded for the other person’s story, idea, problem, etc.

Finally, I just gave up!

At the end of a few days of this I could have just cried. I went home wondering if I am interesting enough and if anything I say is valid or important.

I have always been someone who was such a good listener, kept quiet, didn’t take the attention and always let the other person speak as much as they wanted.

I would put my feelings, ideas and opinions aside to be there for someone else….

Then when I needed someone they weren’t there, too busy, too much on their mind or they wanted to do all of the talking.

What I took away from this and the best advice I can give is don’t be there for them when they start talking… don’t listen to them, don’t ask them how they are doing, don’t message them back right away, be aloof, don’t seem too interested in what they are talking about, do your own thing and be distracted.

Some may think this is childish but you know who you are and this is not your normal behavior and you are and always have been a caring person.

Some may say why don’t you just talk to them and tell them how you feel…. Well if you can’t get them to listen to you in the first place then it’s going to be hard to get them to stop and listen to you now isn’t it!

Next time let them come to you. Let them ask you how you are doing. Let them initiate the "how’s it going" greeting first.

I guarantee that most of the time they will listen. If they try to cut you off keep talking until you are finished. Then after you are done open up the dialogue by asking how they are doing and let them finish.

This may seem mundane or foolish but it works. People have realized that they are cutting me off and they stop and direct their focus back onto what I was talking about.

This is in by no means a perfect solution or an excuse to be rude to someone. You deserve to be heard and feel valued. Your thoughts and ideas are important and you have the right to share them in a healthy and respectful way.

This doesn’t always mean that you must cut everyone out of your life but you just need to learn ways to communicate to be heard.

And yes, there will be those people that we may need to cut out of our lives or limit your time with them. This sometimes can be the hardest thing to do but once you do it it’s freeing.

If you still need to get things out you can start by writing it down. One of my favorite things to do is journal. It has proved to be one of the best ways to get everything out of my head and I often work through anything that is going on right there on the paper. Things don’t seem so big or stressful once you have them out on paper.

If you are worried that someone might read your journal I suggest you open up a document on your computer or journal in the notes app on your phone. Trust me I have had those nosy people in my life where I couldnt keep anything private laying around!

If you still struggle with being heard I suggest you find a coach or a supportive professional to help you find your voice. I guarantee you that you deserve to be heard, you have interesting things to say and sometimes we just need a little help finding our voice.

Remember there is no such thing as too big or too small of a problem or concern. They deserve equal amounts of attention!

In the summer we often let the rain bum us out or complain because it ruins our perfectly sunny days. If you are somewhere where it snows during the winter you often soak up as much sunshine and nice weather when you have the chance.

For me I love a good rain day in the summer. This is nature’s reminder for me to take a break, slow down and relax. I get quite, put on comfy clothes and do whatever I want to do and when I want to do it. I also most likely squeeze a nap in there somewhere and will end up watching a movie.

Here is a list of some of my favorite rainy day self-care activities:

-Lighting candles

-Journaling

-Sitting down and reviewing what in my life is working and what isn’t

-Grab a book, blanket and something hot to drink and get cozy

-Watch a movie

-Sit quietly and listen to the rain

-Walk around the house and see what areas may need attention or change and make a list

If you take anything away from this I want you to use something in your life to remind you to participate in self-care. I like to use the seasons and the weather. If you are interested in an easy simple guided meditation please check out my Shop. Sending you so much love!

Let me know in the comments below an activity you like to do on a rainy day!

Summer is upon us and if you are like myself you are excited for the summer season. After what seemed like a long spring in my neck of the woods the warmth and sunshine have finally became regular. Summer is my time to look at the start of the second half of the year and make a plan for what I hope to accomplish in the next few months. I am a total list maker and often times have a running tab on the things I want to accomplish. I have checked a few things off but have many left that I want to accomplish.

Here is list of some of my intentions for the next six months:

-Turning my passion into my full-time career and slowly transitioning out of my current job

-Creating more space in my life for things that I enjoy

-Saying “no” more often to things that I do not enjoy

-Becoming a tourist in my own city

-Exploring and enjoying things that I have always been interested in but have put on the back burner for a few years.

My challenge to you this month is to set your intentions for the next six months. They can be as detailed as you want such as building a business you are passionate about or as simple as reading one book a week. This is the fun part so get creative and enjoy. You deserve it. Put yourself on your to do list for the next six months and see how your life transforms.

If you have a hard time with figuring out what steps to take next check out my services page.

I am interested in what intentions you are going to be setting and feel free to share in the comment section below!

In my Hey There June blog post I listed five things that I wanted to work on for the month of June.

Number five on that list was saying no to things that I did not want to do.

This can be hard to practice as functioning human beings because we do have responsibilities such as work, chores, families etc. Even though we have these responsibilities we still have the right to say no to things that do not bring balance and happiness into our lives.

Do you have a hard time saying no to the things you really do not want to do? Do you feel obligated most of the time?

When experiencing this the best question to ask yourself when you are not sure if you want to do something is…Will this bring me joy? If we do say yes and we are left feeling tired, negative or joyless after these situations then this is a huge sign to not say yes next time. If you feel joyful after then you know that you are listening to your intuition and asking yourself the right question.

The world isn’t perfect and we will have to do things that we may not always want to do and after all life is about balance. When we are stuck in situations where we really can’t say no we need to ask ourselves how can I bring more joy to this situation, commitment or space.

If you find yourself feeling like it is impossible to bring joy to a situation then that is a huge sign that you need to switch jobs, move on from a relationship, switch directions etc.

It may not be easy at first but as you incorporated into you daily life you will feel more joyful, relaxed and empowered.

Let me know in the comments below what you are going to say no to in your life!

If you need help moving through this please check out my Services page where I offer convenient email coaching. Here is an Intro to my email coaching if you are wondering how email coaching works.

I don’t know about you but I am super excited for the month of June. I feel this month is going to bring a lot of awesome changes and positivity. The month of May was a slow one for me and I am ready for some momentum in my life personally and professionally. Another thing that has come to the forefront for me is really getting out of my comfort zone when it comes to my business. You guy are going to see more of me on Instagram. I have learned that you do not need to have everything perfect when you take the leap as long as you stay tethered to who you truly are. Here are 5 changes that I will be making for myself in the month of June 2017.

1. Make self-care a priority

2. Say no to others and yes to myself

3. Put lots of love and content into my blog

4. Schedule 5 new client email coaching sessions

5. Cut back on sugar intake

Here is a little freebie from me to you. A simple June 2017 Self-care Calendar to give you ideas on how to incorporate self-care into you schedule.

Sometimes we need to just sit and do nothing. Many of us are wired to do, do, do and go, go, go. This past Friday I spent the day doing nothing and it felt great.

Let’s rewind to the beginning of that Friday. I first started off my day with my morning routine and as usual I made a list of things that I thought I needed or wanted to do that day. Then it started…. as I was getting ready for the day I lacked focus, my mood was off and the motivation seemed to drain right out of me. The items on my list seemed daunting and not worth it. I decided I was going to just sit and do nothing that morning. I turned that morning into the whole day. I was a lounge lizard the whole day. No guilt, no apologies. I said “no” to each and everything that came my way. It felt great.

Before I would struggle to get the things on my list done, I would be crabby, easily annoyed and only get half of my list completed. Recently I have grown to realized that its ok to do nothing. Doing nothing is doing something for yourself. It is self-care. It is a break from our demanding lives.

I’ve noticed since starting and trying to grow my business that there will always be a to do list. Many times, the things on that list get pushed to the next day and the next. There will always be work to do and with that there will be time to do it. The world will not end, you are not lazy and it is ok to do nothing. Take an hour, a half-day or a whole day and do nothing. It feels so dang good!

Lately I’ve been tested on letting things go that I cannot control. Most recently is the subject of people cancelling their plans with me. It seems that no matter how much I plan in advance it still seems to happen.

Instead of feeling sad, hurt or annoyed this time I chose to be ok with it. I told the person the days that I was available the following week and left it up to them. I’m not going to wait for them to call or hold off on making plans “just in case” they might want to hang out that day. I simple left it up to them and let it go.

The old me would have been angry, talk to someone else about how frustrated I was with the person who cancelled plans to get validation on why I was ticked off. I might have even been cold to the person breaking the plans.

When we let go of things out of our control we free ourselves of negative emotions and energy. It feels freeing.

My five tips to you if this happens,

1. Give them dates you are free and leave it up to them to do the planning

2. Let go all emotions about it (anger, frustration, disappointment)

3. Do not hold off making your own plans just “in case” they want to hang that day

4. If they don’t end up making plans with you Don’t Take It Personally

5. Surround yourself with people who want to spend time with you

If you would like support or help navigating or getting clear on an area of your life that feels stuck please check out my Services.

Each week I’m going to post about a smoothie that I am trying. I am on a journey to eat more nutritious food and thought it would be fun to share them with you. This week I have made a simple Vanilla Blueberry Banana Smoothie

Items needed

½ cup blueberries

½ banana

½ scoop of vanilla protein powder ( I use It Works Shake protein powder in creamy vanilla)

1 cup ice

½ to 1 cup water or almond milk

Put all ingredients into the blender and enjoy

The It Works Shake powder is the first one I tried so far that doesn’t hurt my stomach and tastes great.

I will link my friend Ashley’s Instagram if you are interested in the protein powder.

Sometimes when trying to make decisions in our life we feel stuck and it can be difficult. What to do or what direction to go can leave us feeling clueless.

In the past I have read and heard many times “If you feel stuck then do “A” and then “B” will happen. Then you will not feel stuck anymore and all the right answers will come to you. This had never been true for me. There has never been a quick fix.

My biggest struggle when starting out on my journey to find true peace and happiness was remembering what I liked to do or what brought me joy. I had no clue on how to be creative or where to start. It was like hitting a wall and had me grabbing the remote to watch mindless tv for hours.

I had forgotten what I loved to do and couldn’t remember the last time I did something for enjoyment. During this time, I would think ok painting I’m going to try painting…I would buy all the supplies then try to paint something and then the supplies would collect dust or then I would decide I was going to make jewelry…make a few pieces and then the supplies would sit somewhere in a box.

I also have been guilty of buying tons of books only to let them collect dust. I had truly lost passion in my life. All I did was work and binge watch Netflix.

I finally realized that I needed to slow down, adjust my life and make time for myself. I started working with a coach who had helped me find what makes me tick, where I should focus my energy and has helped me realize the importance of self-care and that it isn’t selfish. She helped me realize that my feelings of being stuck are normal and not permanent.

Now I can get myself unstuck and notice the signs of it when it starts creeping in. I now coach others on moving through their feelings and help create a strategic plan to get them going in the direction that they desire.

After investing in myself I now have a career where I can work from home while helping others get unstuck and living from the heart.

Spring is one of my favorite times of year! Time to change, to grow and to let go. I spend a lot of time in the Spring decluttering my life, cleaning, organizing and planning. After a long Winter, there is nothing more refreshing then to throw the windows open, hear the birds chirping and smell the fresh air.

This is a great time to take inventory of your life. Who are the people that are in your life that are energy suckers and you don’t look forward to seeing? What items in your physical space do you need to declutter? How do you want to feel about your life in the next months to come?

Remember this doesn’t have to be done in a day. If you need some support navigating through this time of renewal and change, consider checking out my email coaching services. Here is some info as to was email coaching is all about Intro to My Services

I am curious as to what type of changes you are interested in making? Leave a comment below!

I recently had an experience where something in my life was completely out of balance and out of alignment. I could feel a physical side effect in the form of a sensation that there was a “lump in my throat”. It felt like there was something stuck. This happened after an incident at work. I had paid for a class that I was supposed to take and the person that was supposed to come in to work for me was a no-call, no-show. I missed the class.

It was that day I decided that I would no longer accept things in life that take away from my passions, purpose and well-being. I would no longer let the poor behavior of others and the power that be who allow it affect me anymore.

Instead of being angry and brushing it under the rug and continuing to accept what is I made a pros and cons list of my current job. I need to have a steady stream of income as I build my business so I could not quit so I went on call. I now have the freedom to pick up shifts when I want and will have time off when I need it to focus on my side hustle life coaching and teaching which I want to transition into my full-time career.

Yes, everyone has this point in the tipping of the scales but usually don’t share their story until it is old history. I’m telling you this in the here and now. I am a coach and a teach, I have had clients but I still am not there yet.

After I put in my two weeks that day the lump in my throat was gone, I felt like a weight had been lifted and I felt freedom. It may seem minor to some but it was very empowering. I finally realized that being angry or upset at other was useless and I need to look at it as a lesson, a nudge from the universe. This was the tipping point in the scale that I had been waiting for. A push to fully follow my goals and dream to help other tip their scales to find balance and happiness.

My simple message to you is to listen to your inner guidance no matter what form it comes in. Nothing bad will come from it and you will only be closer to living a life you deserve. And damn it feels good!

Sometimes we need to stop and take a look at our patterns and daily interactions with the world around us. Lately I have been making a much-desired coffee just to only drink half of it. My favorite morning starter or afternoon pick me up is no longer doing it for me. We what does “doing it for me” really mean? I thought what is the coffee compensating?

I like the taste but lately I can only get through half a cup. I’ve switched brands and switched ways to brew it but still no change. I decided to go a little deep. Asking myself what is this coffee compensating for? What is missing or lacking? Why did I feel I needed that cup of coffee?

I realized that the cup of coffee was my liquid fuel to power through things that I really didn’t want to do. That cup of coffee was fuel for me in the morning to power through my morning because I had stayed up late the night before watching YouTube videos or scrolling through social media feeds on my phone. That cup of coffee was fueling my lack of passion and lack of energy.

I bet you like me can find something in your life that you use to compensate for something else instead of examining what is really going on in your life no matter how big or small it may be.

Recently I have addressed the areas in my life that I was compensating for with coffee. Getting to sleep earlier and diving into things that I am passionate about. I try to do something creative each day. I limit my YouTube and social media binge watching to a minimum and use that time for creativity.

I have not given up my cup of coffee in the morning and I now enjoy it for what it is and I am present in the moment while I drink it.

I ask you to do a little reflecting and see what area of your life may need a little love and care.

Many people focus on the love between significant others. They either celebrate the holiday with someone or for people who are solo they often dread it. If you have someone, awesome, if you don’t well it’s still awesome! This year if you are flying solo make it not just about a day but a month of self-love aka self-care. Make this month about you. Set the tone for the rest of the year.

How are you going to incorporate self-care into your life, monthly, weekly, daily?

Plan a trip, create a list of books you want to ready each month, set a date with yourself to go for a walk once a week, meditate daily it's really up to you. Do more of what you want. It really is just that simple.

I know people who incorporate a bath into their daily routine or ready for at least an hour each and every day. This time in nonnegotiable for them. If you find it hard to make time take yourself away from your phone and social media for 10 minutes. Use that time to do something just for yourself. If you want you can just sit and be still. It all matters and it all adds up. You can switch it up from day to day. Just make the time. Keep a list of self-care ideas handy. To help you with ideas of self-care for the next 22 days I will be posting once a day on Instagram @daniellearlene1 a way you can incorporate self-care into your routine.

Goddess Provisions is a subscription box service that you receive in the mail once a month. They focus on high vibrational goods. Each box contains products that are good for the earth, body and soul.

(Disclaimer: This is not an affiliate post I just wanted to riff on what a good subscription box this has been.)

This box has never disappointed me. I have been a customer for a year come this February 2017. Not only have I been introduced to a lot of different products but I have also gained knowledge from many of the products. This thirty-three dollars a month subscription box comes with full size products and they are listed on a product card with details/descriptions and prices for each item. If a product needs specific info on how to use it, they will provide it for you.

I came across this company on Instagram and though I would try it and I ended up loving it. I have grown my crystal collection and have purchased their special crystal box that they have listed in their shop. My essential oil collection has grown and I have expanded my knowledge on the different benefits and uses for oils that I have received. Many of the products I have been introduced to through this subscription service are things I would have never discovered on my own.

I highly recommend that you check this box out!

My most recent box was the January 2017 box and I love it! The products that were in this box are listed below:

House of Intuition Clarity Bath Bag – This is a pouch of Ultra Epsom Salt, Himalayan Sea Salt, Organic Pink Roses, Organic Lemongrass and Organic Peppermint. This was the first product I used out of the box. After my bath I was left feeling very relaxed and my overall energy felt clear.

Jacq’s Organics – Green Tea and Smoothie Scrub & Masque. This is a powder that you mix with warm water to create a paste to use as a mask for 10 to 15 minutes. I have not used this product yet but I love masks and I’m excited to try it.

Awaken Essential Oils – This essential oil is to balance your throat chakra. I love the affirmation message card that came with it. It come with a roller ball applicator and I used this on my pulse points, throat and neck as directed. The oil has a beautiful aroma and is very relaxing to the senses.

Your Joyologist – I received four pins with kick butt messages on them. They are perfect to put on bags, your favorite jackets or to give away to someone who needs some inspiration. Love them!

Tree to Tub – This product is soapberry for hair. It has a relaxing lavender scent. This product is organic, cruelty free, fair trade, vegan, naturally antibacterial, hypoallergenic, eco-friendly, non-toxic, sulfate and paraben free. Whew what a long list of awesomeness. A cool thing that came along with this product is an actual dried soapberry. You can soften the soapberry in pot of boiling water, lather it up in your hands and use it to wash your face. Very cool!

Amethyst and Garnet pendant – This beautiful pendant can be used as a divination tool to help you utilize your intuition. Every box I have received has helped me grow my crystal collection to I was excited to see this in my box.

“Charge It Up” Patch – This cute vibrant patch would be perfect to add to any accessory.

Goddess Provisions is definitely one of if not the best subscription boxes I have tried. Like I said before this is not a sponsored or affiliated post. This is just a great way to invest in yourself each month. Also check them out on Instagram @goddessprovisions I have tagged all of the companies mentioned in this post on my Instagram @daniellearlene1 in case you want to further check them out as well. Also all of your questions about this subscription box service can be found on their website goodessprovisions.com/faq .

I have to admit until I was older I never really understood the value of journaling. As a kid I was always worried that someone would read my diary so I never kept one. Looking back know I chuckle because I could only image what I would have written in it. Now I understand the benefits and mindfulness that can come from journaling. There are many reasons to journal but these are the five that I have experienced and can relate to.

Move Through Your Emotions

Journaling is such a great way to move through your emotions. Happy, glad, sad, angry or frustrated. It helps us get out of our head and puts everything into perspective on paper. This helps us move through the emotion, acknowledge it, reflect on it and then we are able to let it go. When we do this we are able to work through our emotions and detach from them. This is a great growing mechanism so we don’t harbor or stagnate our feelings and can move on. Sometimes when we put our feelings down on paper we can separate ourselves from it and it is easier to let go or find solutions. More often than not it really is not worth being upset over.

Inspiring Yourself

When we feel like our lives are stagnant or that we are unsure of what our passions are or what our goals should be we can combat this with journaling. I have journaled in the past and really have gotten out of myself what I want to contribute in this world and what my passions are and how I will obtain them. Sometimes journaling can pull things out of you that you had no idea were there and it gives you more momentum in your life.

Creative Outlet and Brain Storming

You can journal in a way that is creative. Write part of a story every day, write poetry or just write about your day. This type of journaling is always fun to look back on sort of like a memories journal. Also, another creative way is to theme your journal as a manifesting journal, fitness journal, nutrition journal or a way to track any goals or special projects you are working on.

Organizing Your Thoughts

Journaling is a great way to get clear on what is going on in your life. It can be a great way to organize your thoughts and sort through where you are at and what you need to do to get to where you want to be.

Self-care

Journaling can be relaxing and is a form of self-care. This is your time to be by yourself somewhere quiet, with your favorite beverage and maybe light some candles or sit somewhere comfy. This is a time for you to zone out while zoning into your journaling. Make this a priority and something you do for yourself every day.

This blog post is inspired by an Instagram post I did. I received an email that had an inspirational quote in it by Arnold Bennett and it goes “Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your permission”. This resonated with me. I feel that most of the negative thinking that goes on in our heads is a by-product of the crap that we allow in.

These outside sources can be from a stranger complain while waiting in line at a store, a family member’s bad day at work, a co-worker who doesn’t like their job or a friend that is complaining about their significant other about the same thing for the 100th time. Being around these people can be draining, suffocating and annoying. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be there for someone but if you have offered your suggestions and the person continues to complain it’s time to let it go.

Do not be someone else’s dumpster. Dumping their drama and negativity on you is not fair and you have the choice to not allow it to happen. Speak up about it, change the subject or if you must distance yourself from that person if it doesn’t change.

There are so many awesome things going on in the world that we should be talking about more. For example, you may have to tell people that you do not watch the news so you are not interested in discussing the negative news stories. It’s not that you are putting your head in the sand but you do not need to continually hear about the same news story for days on end. You’re aware of the negativity and atrocities in this world and you are current on your news and worldly affairs. What you will not do is discuss them repeatedly. When this happens, you can be left feeling down, unmotivated, drained and overwhelmed by it and that does not help the greater good. When this happens, you turn into the one who wants to talk about it repeatedly. That can really consume a person. The news is just an example and the negative news is just a small fraction of all of the good news out there.

Don’t let anyone intrude on your happiness and mental well-being. If you continue to allow people to bombard you with negativity you will continue to feel crappy. Be aware and chose to add to the greater good and not give energy to the bad. Volunteer for a cause you are passionate about or make monetary donations. Acknowledge it and keep it moving. Here is this motivational quote once more:

“Your own mind is a sacred enclosure into which nothing harmful can enter except by your permission”.

As the year winds down and we say goodbye to 2016 many of us tend to do some self-reflection. We look at the past year and start making a long list in our heads of all the things we did not accomplish. Instead of listing the things you did not do, starting making a mental note of all the things you did accomplish. These things got you to the place you are at right now. Take a moment to really reflect on and acknowledge all that you have done. You may have started something new, lost weight, spent more time with family and friends or finally read that book you’ve wanted to read for a long time. No matter how big or small give yourself some credit. Kudos to you. Pat yourself on the back! I personally have acknowledged the fact that I started my business in 2016, finally understand the importance of self-care and have released many things that have held me back. What do you acknowledge from the past year? Leave a comment below.

If you need support in the new year check out my Services page. Also, I have a great little course on how to Just Get Started. This is a downloadable PDF guide that support you on how to get going on doing the things you truly want to do and accomplish. Any questions feel free to leave a comment below

I don’t know about you but this is my favorite time of year. My favorite season, fall and the kickoff to my favorite holidays. I have always loved this time and it brings me great joy and peace. Although this time of year can be exciting and joyful is also can feel a bit overwhelming and slightly chaotic. I have learned over the years to not let the stress overshadow my excitement. I have come to understand five important ways to combat the stresses of the holiday season. These five ways will help you survive the stress and have you sipping your favorite warm beverage under your favorite blanket without a worry in the world.

Balance

First off let’s start with balance. This is important because you need to keep on top of your responsibilities and be able to enjoy this wonderful time of year. You need a balance between spending time with friends and family and spending time with yourself in moments of self-care. You do not need to say yes to every invitation you receive to go out. It's ok to say no if you are not feeling it. You need to have balance between being on the go and getting stuff done at home. Set up small increments of time so you can tend to your responsibilities such as cleaning the house, household shopping, running errands and paying bills. This will help in the long run so you are not trying to get too much done at the last minute. This way you can enjoy the time you do have to spend with others instead of being stressed out.

Hydration and Nutrition

Drinking plenty of water and eating healthy is extra important during the holidays. It can be challenging to turn down warm drink concoctions and deliously rich food. I have been guided to increase my water intake. I think for all of us this is important. Its important to stay hydrated not only to hydrate the body but it also helps you consume less sugar and calories. Water not only helps aid in digestion but also hydration and helps energize us. This is important with the changing of the season, the richer food we may choose to eat and our hectic schedules. Also, eating healthier food will help keep your energy up. Rich foods will bog you down and make you feel sluggish. I’m not say not to indulge but just keep it minimal, know when to put your fork down and only have one serving.

Planning

Having a routine and planning are also two important areas. It is important to create a simple routine for yourself. Paying your bills on a certain day and running errands on a certain day can be easy steps to set up a routine. Also, plan for what days you many want to do your holiday shopping or even just your grocery shopping. Leaving time on certain days during the week to catch up with friends and family is beneficial. This will help you from rushing around trying to fit everything in at the last minute. I know a routine is not always ideal for some people but at least planning will prove to be very helpful in the long run.

Quiet Time

This one is such a huge one. It is very important for you to spend some time alone in quiet. Even if it is in small increments throughout your day. Something that I have done in the past is while at work I would take my lunch break out in my car. This helped me to get away from the energy of the workplace and to have some silence. This helped recharge me and made the rest of the workday not so bad. If you are going home to a house full take a few extra minutes in your car before you go inside. There are so many ways that you can get some quiet time for yourself. I have a great blog post that discusses this subject. Here is the link: Take Time For Yourself Post

My personal favorite thing that l do each day is I wake up early, make a cup of coffee and just sit. Being still before the rest of the world wakes up. I take this time to mediate, visualize and set my intentions for the day. This is my favorite time of the day and I can feel can feel the difference if I skip a day.

Sleep

I would like to end this post with how most of us should end our day. The topic of sleep. Sleep is so important. It helps us function mentally, physically and emotionally. Not getting enough sleep causes us to become run down, irritable, anxious, mentally exhausted and our immune system does not perform at its best. If you have a hard time getting a full night’s sleep give yourself permission to take a nap during the day. I used to think that naps were a waste of time and a sign of weakness. Now I embrace taking a nap if needed. The benefits of a nap are great. You can accomplish more after a nap because you are not so tired and you’re able to think clearer. Just simply take a nap when needed.

These are some simply tips to help you move through this holiday season wit ease. If you are looking for more support to help you move through this season I offer email coaching just check out my Services page. Now through the end of 2016 I am offering two sessions for the price of one. If you have any questions about my coaching services, please feel free to Contact me.